End enclosures for baseboard radiator panels



April 26, 1960 J. E. BARBEAU 2,934,320

END ENCLOSURES FOR BASEBOARD RADIATOR PANELS Filed Jan. 11, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Mezfar iJd/Z Jar/56w.

April 26, 1960 J. E. BARBE-AU END ENCLOSURES FOR BASEBOARD RADIATOR PANELS Fil ed Jan. 11. 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 JFzaezzn da/vrfiareau/ April 26, 1960 J. E. BARBEAU 2,934,320 END ENCLOSURES FOR BASEBOARD RADIATOR PANELS Filed Jan. 11, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 United States Patent END ENCLOSURES FOR BASEBOARD RADIATOR PANELS Jean E. Bar-beau, Iles Laval, Quebec, Canada, assignor to Crane Co., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application January 11, 1957, Serial No. 633,563

1 Claim. (Cl. 257-133) conveniently be fitted to either the right or left hand end i of the radiator without modification.

A further object of the invention is to provide a baseboard radiator end enclosure which will, when fitted to either end of the radiator, present an outward flush surface at the exposed end of the said enclosure.

A further object of the invention is to provide a baseboard radiator end enclosure which, when bolted to the end of the radiator will tend to hug the wall.

' A still further object of the invention is to provide a baseboard radiator end enclosure having a removable front cover whose surface is suitably bulged outwardly, to provide additional clearance enabling the use of a wheel handle valve within the enclosure.

Another object is to provide for an end enclosure of the type hereinabove referred to in which the side members of the enclosure can be provided with knockouts.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed specification and the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a perspective elevation of the end enclosure looking on the side and rear and showing the set back end walls.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of an end cover plate.

Fig. 3 is a vertical elevation looking on the rear of the end enclosure with the front cover fitted in place.

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the end enclosure shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a sectional plan view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged partial section showing the spring fitting of the front cover in the opening in the front wall of the end enclosure.

Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional view showing the fitting together of the radiator panel and the end enclosure and showing the manner in which the end enclosure is enforced to hug the wall on which the radiator is mounted.

Fig. 8 is a modified form of structure in which the side members of the enclosure are provided with knockout sections.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

As will hereinafter become apparent, the invention consists essentially of a fabricated end enclosure having both its end walls set back the thickness of an end cover plate which can be fitted in the set back space to provide a flush end surface on either the right or left hand end of the enclosure, both end walls having cut out slots or suitable knock-out panels or sections to allow the necessary pipes and fittings to pass from the adjacent end of the radiator panels into the end enclosure and having ment of the end walls to the said front sheet 5.

further slots to take the clamp bolts holding the end enclosure firmly against the adjacent end of the radiator panel. The end cover plate when it is fitted to the exposed end of the end enclosure covers up the slots in the end wall. The front cover of the end enclosure is made readily removable and is designed to allow for more convenient operation of the control valve within the end enclosure.

Referring to the drawings, the end enclosure is formed from a bent front sheet and a pair of end walls to form a box unit as generally indicated in Fig. 1. The front sheet 5 is bent over at 6 to form the top surface of the enclosure while the lower end of the said sheet is bent inwards at 7 to form the floor mounting surface. The floor mounting surface 7 is cutaway at 8 to provide ample clearance for the heating pipes passing through the floor to make connection with the radiator panel 9, as shown more clearly in Fig. 7.

The ends walls 10 and 11 of the end enclosure have their front, top and bottom edges shaped to conform closely to the inner surface of the front sheet 5 and these edges of the end walls are flanged inwardly at 12 to provide suitable welding surfaces for effecting attach- It will be noted that these end walls It? and 11 are set back inwardly from the vertical edges of the front sheet 5 to 5 flush surface to the exposed end of the end enclosure as seen in Figs. 3, 5, 6 and 7. The screws 15 are preferably of the self-tapping type in order to provide tightness greater than would normally be obtained with a threaded hole.

The end walls 10 and 11 have the upper and lower cut-out slots 16 to provide clearance for the pipe connections leading to the radiator panel 9. Additional cut-out slots 17 therebetween in the end walls 10 and 11 line up with similar slots 18 in the end of the radiator panel 9 to receive the mounting bolts 19 which secure the end enclosure to the panel 9. The end walls 10 and 11 are recessed or set back and when the bolts 19 are tightened up, the end enclosure tends to move inwardly towards the wall by pivoting on the initial points of contact between front sheet 5 and the panel 9 because of the gap between end walls 10 and 11 and panel 9. This pulling or drawing inwards of the end enclosure insures that there is a tight, snug fit of the end enclosure against the end of the radiator panel 9 and the wall 20. It thus reduces the tendency of the end enclosure to spring away from the wall and produce an objectionable gap. The tight fit of the end enclosure against the wall 20 obviates the use of moulding trims, for the purpose.

The end cover plates 14, when secured to the outer end wall 10 or 11, depending on whether the end enclosure is mounted on the right hand or left hand of the radiator panel 9, effectively covers the cut-out slots 16 and 17 and fills in the end space 13 to give a neat and flush appearance to the outer end of the end enclosure. The end cover plate 14 also adds to the rigidity of the end wall on which it is mounted.

The front sheet 5 is cut out over most of its surface surface generally made flush with the front surface of the end enclosure and is held firmly in place by means 'of the spring clips 24 whose free ends make strong fric- 33 tion contact with the inside edges of the recessed flange seat 21 as indicated more clearly in Fig. 6.

The front cover 23 has its surface pressed outwardly at 25 to provide additional internal clearance in the end enclosure for a wheel handle 26 (shown in dotted lines, Fig. 4) on the valve controlling the flow of the heating medium to the radiator 9. The front cover 23 is preferably also slit at 27 and pressed outwards in reverse directions at 28 to provide a convenient finger grip for easy removal of the cover from the end enclosure.

Referring to Fig. 8, a modified form of end enclosure is shown in which the side member portions are knockoutsections and are attached thereto at such points as such locations indicated by the respective numerals 29, 31 32, 33 and 34. Thus, the knock-out section 35 is easily and conveniently removable by simply hitting the said sect-ion lightly with a. hammer to remove as desired, and thereby leaving the respective spaces designated 36, 37, 38 and 39 as illustrated.

From the above description, it will be seen that a simple and efficient end enclosure for baseboard panel radiators has been evolved which can be mounted on either the right hand or the left hand of the radiator without having to be specially modified in any way. The design of the end walls of the end enclosure is such that when the cover plate is fitted, the resulting end surface will be smooth and flush with the edge of the front sheet and, further, the design of the end wall through which attachment of the end enclosure to the radiator panel is made, supplies adegree of spring pressure which holds the end enclosure tight against the wall at all times.

It will be apparent that the constructions shown and described are for purposes of illustration only and not by way of limitation. Thus my inventive concept should be measured in light of the appended claim interpreted in considering the art to which the invention relates.

I claim:

In a baseboard radiator including a removable end enclosure with outer end wall surface portions suitable for mounting on either end of the radiator, said end enclosure having an inwardly extending cut-away floor portion and comprising a rectangular front portion having side disposed vertical end walls with knock-out panels on each outer end wall surface portion, the vertical end walls of said end enclosure being recessed and set back inwardly of the end limits of the enclosure and supported on said cut-away floor portion to provide a recessed end surface portion thereon, means joining an end wall of said end enclosure to one end of the radiator, said joining means projecting through the said end wall of the enclosure and with an opposite end portion thereof engaging the radiator whereby on tightening of said joining means one of said enclosure wall portions through which said joining means projects is drawn substantially into the plane of and against the end of theradiator, and a detachable stiffening end plate substantially overlying the saidrecessed surface portion of the enclosure vertical end wall and being disposed directly over the recessed surface of the outer end wall surface portion of the enclosure.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

